British NVC community CG10

NVC community CG10 (Festuca ovina - Agrostis capillaris - Thymus praecox grassland) is one of the calcicolous grassland communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. Of the upland group of calcicolous grasslands, it is the only one with a short sward associated with heavy grazing.

It is a comparatively widely distributed community in the British uplands. There are three subcommunities.

Community composition

The following constant species are found in this community:

  • Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris)
  • Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia)
  • Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina)
  • Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)
  • Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
  • Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
  • Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)
  • Wild Thyme (Thymus praecox)
  • Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana)
  • Glittering Wood-moss (Hylocomium splendens)

The following rare species are also associated with the community:

  • the Lady's-mantle (Alchemilla filicaulis ssp. filicaulis)
  • the Lady's-mantle (Alchemilla wichurae)
  • Hair Sedge (Carex capillaris)
  • Soft-leaved Sedge (Carex montana)
  • Rock Sedge (Carex rupestris)
  • Hoary Whitlowgrass (Draba incana)
  • Limestone Bedstraw (Galium sterneri)
  • Spring Sandwort (Minuartia verna)
  • Alpine Forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris)
  • Dwarf Cudweed (Omalotheca supina)
  • Alpine Pearlwort (Sagina saginoides)
  • Dwarf Willow (Salix herbacea)
  • Sibbaldia (Sibbaldia procumbens)
  • Scottish Asphodel (Tofieldia pusilla)

Distribution

This community is found widely on calcareous upland sites in Scotland, northern England and Wales.

Subcommunities

There are three subcommunities:

  • the Trifolium repens - Luzula campestris subcommunity
  • the Carex pulicaris - Carex panicea subcommunity
  • the Saxifraga aizoides - Ditrichum flexicaule subcommunity

References
  • Rodwell, J. S. (1992) British Plant Communities Volume 3 - Grasslands and montane communities ISBN 0-521-39166-0 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-62719-2 (paperback)
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